The proposed deal for a Patriots stadium in Hartford
"failed to gain substantial momentum Wednesday after an
extraordinary day of hearings and intense private meetings
at the state Capitol," according to Swift & Daly of the
HARTFORD COURANT, who write that a "majority of legislators
appeared to still support the plan." But a "mountain of
questions" still stands "between legislators and a vote
scheduled Tuesday." CT Gov. John Rowland and Patriots Owner
Robert Kraft "offered no significant concessions" while
being questioned by legislators, which "didn't help their
case." Despite the "hostile questioning," Kraft, along with
his son, team VP Jonathan, "said they were pleased with the
legislative reaction." Jonathan Kraft: "We want the
legislators to ask hard questions" (HART. COURANT, 12/10).
REVISITING LANGUAGE? In N.Y., Mike Allen writes that
the Krafts received "sharp and occasionally argumentative
questioning." Robert Kraft: "This deal has been portrayed
by some as a sweetheart deal, and I don't think that we've
done a good job getting the message out on this deal. That
just isn't true" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10). In Boston, Tina
Cassidy cites people "familiar with the deal" saying the
team "was willing to make concessions that would lower the
state's potential liability, but nothing so drastic that it
would endanger the proposal" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/10).
TOUGH TALK? In Boston, Michael Holley writes that the
Krafts "must have been like grade-schoolers trying to
contain their giggles as legislators asked their 'tough'
questions. That was it? This was the war? What a tame
confrontation. ... Connecticut proved its pro sports naivete
the entire day and evening. The hearing did not expose a
community willing to go to war with Kraft. Far from it.
The hearing exposed a desperate city" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/10).
REPORT CARDS: A new report from the CT General
Assembly's Office of Fiscal Analysis shows that a stadium
for the Patriots in Hartford "could cost Connecticut
taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars." The
"nonpartisan office" found that there "are too many unknown
variables to say for certain whether the project will be
successful," as "the most likely scenario" has CT taxpayers
paying $257M over 30 years for the stadium. The report
"contradicts -- and finds several faults with" a study done
by KPMG Peat Marwick which said that the stadium "will pay
for itself with tax revenues generated by football games and
other stadium-related economic activity." The Peat Marwick
report "was the basis" for Rowland deal with Kraft. But the
HARTFORD COURANT's Ohlemacher & Haar write that the General
Assembly report "is likely to carry more weight with
lawmakers." The General Assembly report found "one
fundamental flaw" in the KPMG report: it "does not provide
any analysis on the level of interest -- from fans and
corporations" in the NFL in Hartford (HART. COURANT, 12/10).